Originally published in 1896
This Web version, edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2003

In later cruises, Stockton sailed about in the West
Indies, capturing several slavers, and also making a
vigorous war on pirates and freebooters, who at that
time made the vicinity of these islands very dangerous
for peaceable vessels.

In 1838 our commander was made a captain. There
was no war now in which he might engage, but his
mind was very busily occupied in regard to the proper
construction of war vessels. In 1841 the United States
Navy did not possess a single steamship. They were
all old-style sailing vessels. Several steamers had been
planned : one had blown up, and two others were still
on the stocks. But Captain Stockton did not believe
that if these were finished they would be effective as
vessels of war. One great reason for this was the
fact that their engines were situated so near the upper
deck, that a shot from an enemy might easily destroy
them, and so render the vessel worthless. Another
objection was that they were side-wheelers, and it
would be a very easy thing for a cannon ball to knock
an exposed side-wheel into a worthless condition.

Stockton's idea was to put the engines and machinery
deep down in the vessel, below the water line,
where it would be almost impossible to injure them,
and to have the ship moved by means of a submerged
screw in the stern, instead of by paddle wheels. The
naval constructors and authorities opposed this newfangled
scheme; but our New Jersey sailor was an
energetic man in whatever he had to do, and he fought
the naval constructors as vigorously as he ever fought a
pirate. Consequently he got authority from Congress
to build a war ship after his own plan, and arm it
with cannon, which he thought would be much better
than the guns then in use in the navy.

Under Stockton's directions, there was built at Philadelphia
a vessel of war, which he named the " Princeton,"
and which was constructed according to his
plans. On her deck were two great guns of wrought
iron, which were also devised by him ; and each of
these carried a two hundred and twenty-five pound
shot,  much heavier than those then used in naval
warfare.

Great public interest was excited in the " Princeton,"
the first steamship of our navy, and on her trial trip
she was found to be an excellent seagoing vessel.
She went to Washington, and there started out on an
excursion, during which her great guns were to be
tried. There was a very distinguished company on
board,  officers of the army and navy, and several
members of the Cabinet, and other guests.

It was found, however, that the ship was much superior
to her great guns; for when one of them, named
the "Peacemaker," was fired, it exploded, killing several
people, among whom were the secretary of war,
the President; while others, including Captain Stockton, were wounded.

This terrible event shocked the whole nation ; but
although there were no more wrought-iron cannon
made, the building of naval steamships, which began
with Stockton's " Princeton," went steadily on, growing
and improving, until it reached the high point shown
by the swift and powerful ironclad men-of-war which
now fly the stars and stripes.

In 1846 Stockton found himself on the coast of
California, with the rank of commodore, and in command
of a squadron. Since he had started from the
United States, war had been declared with Mexico;
and when he arrived, the towns of Monterey and San
Francisco had been taken by Commodore Sloat, who
had preceded him. A state of war exactly suited
Stockton's disposition ; and as there was no more immediate
need of fighting on the seacoast, he organized a little army of marines and sailors from his
ships, which was afterwards joined by a body of
adventurers and hunters of the United States, and
also by Lieutenant-Colonel Fremont, an officer of the
United States Army, who had been sent into that
region to explore the country, and who had already
done some fighting with the little band under his
command.

Los Angeles, the Mexican capital of California, was i
attacked and taken. Commodore Stockton now declared
himself the conqueror of California, and organized
a provisional government for the captured territory,
appointing John C. Fremont as governor.

At the same time, however, there was another Jerseyman
in the field intent upon the capture of California.
This was General Stephen Kearney, an army
officer who had made a wonderful march across the
plains and mountains towards the coast. After he
arrived on the scene, there were several battles with
the Mexican forces and with the Indians; but the contest
ended in a complete victory for the land forces
commanded by Kearney from Newark, and the naval
forces by Stockton from Princeton, under whom Fremont held his position

But now arose a dispute between the general and
the commodore. When Kearney arrived at Los Angeles, he would not recognize the authority of Fremont,
who had been appointed governor by Stockton,
because he considered that an army officer is higher
in rank than one in the navy; and he took the governorship
himself. A court-martial was convened for
the purpose of deciding the question, and it was settled
that Kearney was of the higher rank, and he
therefore retained the governorship. But between the
two Jerseymen the United States obtained the land
of gold.

A year or two after this, Commodore Stockton resigned
from the navy, and subsequently went to Congress
as a senator from New Jersey. But although
no longer in the navy, he did not cease to work for
the benefit of the brave sailors he had so often commanded
and led; and he obtained the passage of a bill
abolishing the punishment of flogging in the navy, thus
adding another great gift to his country and civilization.

When the country which had been captured from
Mexico was discovered to be not only a fertile and
pleasant land, but a land filled with rich treasures of
gold, the true value of the gift made to the United
States by our two Jerseymen became known and appreciated ;
and the names of Stockton and Kearney,
with that of the brave Fremont, will ever be associated
with that State whose principal water portal is
well called the "Golden Gate."